Patents by Inventor Kimberly N. LeFever

Kimberly N. LeFever has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10347074
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system is configured to operate a slot game including a plurality of reels, one of which includes a plurality of designated symbols adjacent to one another on the reel forming a group of designated symbols. For a play of the game, if at least a first quantity of the designated symbols of the group of designated symbols but less than a second greater quantity of the designated symbols of the group of designated symbols is displayed, the gaming system displays one or more other designated symbols of the group of designated symbols in addition to the displayed designated symbols of the group of designated symbols such that the second greater quantity of the designated symbols is displayed. The gaming system determines and provides any awards based on the displayed symbols including any displayed designated symbols of the second greater quantity of the designated symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William K. Hughes, Bradford D. Brown, Kimberly N. LeFever
  • Publication number: 20160140797
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system is configured to operate a slot game including a plurality of reels, one of which includes a plurality of designated symbols adjacent to one another on the reel forming a group of designated symbols. For a play of the game, if at least a first quantity of the designated symbols of the group of designated symbols but less than a second greater quantity of the designated symbols of the group of designated symbols is displayed, the gaming system displays one or more other designated symbols of the group of designated symbols in addition to the displayed designated symbols of the group of designated symbols such that the second greater quantity of the designated symbols is displayed. The gaming system determines and provides any awards based on the displayed symbols including any displayed designated symbols of the second greater quantity of the designated symbols.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: William K. Hughes, Bradford D. Brown, Kimberly N. LeFever
  • Patent number: 9251653
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system is configured to operate a slot game including a plurality of reels, one of which includes a plurality of designated symbols adjacent to one another on the reel forming a group of designated symbols. For a play of the game, if at least a first quantity of the designated symbols of the group of designated symbols but less than a second greater quantity of the designated symbols of the group of designated symbols is displayed, the gaming system displays one or more other designated symbols of the group of designated symbols in addition to the displayed designated symbols of the group of designated symbols such that the second greater quantity of the designated symbols is displayed. The gaming system determines and provides any awards based on the displayed symbols including any displayed designated symbols of the second greater quantity of the designated symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: IGT
    Inventors: William K. Hughes, Bradford D. Brown, Kimberly N. LeFever
  • Publication number: 20130217463
    Abstract: In various embodiments, the gaming system is configured to operate a slot game including a plurality of reels, one of which includes a plurality of designated symbols adjacent to one another on the reel forming a group of designated symbols. For a play of the game, if at least a first quantity of the designated symbols of the group of designated symbols but less than a second greater quantity of the designated symbols of the group of designated symbols is displayed, the gaming system displays one or more other designated symbols of the group of designated symbols in addition to the displayed designated symbols of the group of designated symbols such that the second greater quantity of the designated symbols is displayed. The gaming system determines and provides any awards based on the displayed symbols including any displayed designated symbols of the second greater quantity of the designated symbols.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventors: William K. Hughes, Bradford D. Brown, Kimberly N. LeFever
  • Publication number: 20110003637
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the gaming system of the present disclosure provide a plurality of source awards and a cumulative award maintained by the gaming system. The cumulative award increments or accumulates over multiple plays of one or more primary games based on amounts won in connection with the source awards. Each time one of the source awards is triggered, the value of the cumulative award is incremented or increased by an amount based on the triggered source award. When a designated number of source awards have been triggered, the gaming system provides the cumulative award to one or more players.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: IGT
    Inventor: Kimberly N. LeFever